Anna Bulcock
Rich in culture, history, and food- Italy’s capital Rome is an absolute must visit if you get the opportunity! In the Summer of 2019, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days exploring the streets of Rome, and I very quickly fell in love. With that, I have compiled a list of my top-tips, must see sights, and favourite photos from my trip. Anna Bulcock gives her recommendations.
Travel
We arrived in Rome via train, and you will be pleased to hear that it was a far different experience to my usual Northern rail journeys to and from Nottingham! With plenty of legroom, beautiful stations and super-fast rail, the whole journey was a breeze from start to finish (we even found a Muller yoghurt shop in the station!).
Muller Shop, Rome Station
Travelling around the city was fairly easy. With most places accessible by foot, we tried to save money and only hop on the metro when necessary – this also allowed us to discover many hidden plazas and gelato shops along the way.
we opted for the slightly cheaper bike hire one afternoon and cycled around Villa Borghese
Although mopeds and scooters were of course in abundance, and looked like great fun, we instead opted for the slightly cheaper bike hire one afternoon and cycled around Villa Borghese (the most beautiful park with stunning city views). This was a great way to give our feet a rest, whilst also not breaking the bank and having lots of fun in the process.
Food
Unsurprisingly, Italy is renowned for its outstanding cuisine, and Rome made no exception to this. I could write a whole novel on the restaurants and gelaterias in Rome, but here are three of my favourites…
Two Sizes Tiramisu: It claims to be the best tiramisu in town, and whilst I must admit I didn’t try them all, I have plenty of faith that it probably was the best. Affordable, delicious, and quirky!
Two Sizes Tiramisu
Saltimbocca: With the seafood pasta dish served in a foil swan, outstanding pizza, and in a central location just a short walk from the Pantheon, this small and friendly restaurant serves fantastic food.
Pastifico: A true hidden gem- this tiny pasta shop on the edge of the Spanish steps was always bustling and very affordable for a takeaway box of freshly made pasta. There are only 2 choices a day and it sells out fast – so arrive early at lunchtime to avoid disappointment!
the city is accessible for those travelling on a tighter budget
Tourist Attractions
There are endless historical beauty spots to admire in Rome, and with many of them being free of charge the city is accessible for those travelling on a tighter budget. Over our three days in Rome we visited all the key sites including the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps (a beautiful spot to sit and people watch as the sun goes down), the Colosseum and the Vatican.
Tiber River at sunset
Similarly, the Tiber River with its stunning bridges and gorgeous sunsets was another beautiful place to walk of an evening, as well as Villa Borghese, a slightly quieter area of the city where we could escape the hustle and bustle.
Top tip: Rest assured, you won’t run out of things to do in Rome, but to avoid running out of time, I would certainly advise pre-booking as many attractions as possible – we saw people waiting in 3 hour+ queues outside the Vatican and colosseum.
Anna Bulcock
Cover photo courtesy of Spencer Davis via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In-article photos courtesy of Anna Bulcock. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to these images.
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